The Washington critic., 1887-12-15
0LD-TIME POLITICS.
The First Presidential Election in the
United States.
TEN STATES PARTICIPATING,
The History in Detail ofa Memorable
Campaign.

vention which framed the Constitution
sent the result Of its work to Congress,
September H. 1887, and by that body it
was Immediately referred tothc conven-
tions of the several States for adoption
or rejection by them, MS the case might
be. On the 2lst of June, 17SS, it was
ratified by the ninth state, New Elnmp-
shire, and was thus by its own provisions
made operative. Congress was, as soon
as possible, apprised of the fact. Before
July II, however, the date on which
Congress
REFERRED THE NINE RATIrIcATIoNs
to special committee appointed for the
purpose of carrying the new government
into effect, Virginia had also given its
ratification, and this was followed, July
26 by like action on the part of New
York. The latter State. however, failed
TO make provision for the appointment
Of electors in time to take part in the
'irst election.
The forming of plan for carrying out
the provisions of the Constitution and
establishing the new government rested
With the Congress of the confederation.
the first Wednesday of January, 17SS,
was designated for the choice of electors
of President and Nice-Prcsident, the first
Wednesday of February for the voting
of the electors, and the 4th of March for
the assembling of the First Congress, the
counting Of the electoral vote, and the
setting in motion the wheels of the new
government. At this first election no
formal nominations were made. Indeed,
1t may be fairly said that for the few
months Immediately following the
adoption of the Constitution, there were
no parties to make nominations, and
had there been, the machinery of eau
Gus and convention had not yet been
devised. The germs of the polit-
ical parties, which were afterwards
to he arraycd against each other in the
bitterest antagonism, existed, and these
were not without their influence in the
first Presidential election. There was
no sign anywhere of contestipg the cleo
ton of Washington by supporting any
candidate against him. Indeed, from
the time that the convention finished its
work and reported the Constitution
back to Congress, the feeling that,
in the event Of its adoption,
Washington should fill the office
VI IItSlutllt lluu tNci y W nclc IltNdltu
He was generally understood to be
mild Federalist, but happily there was
perfect nnanimity about placing him at
The head of the new Government.
Elections for the choice of
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS
were held in all the States, ratifying the
Constitution, in accordance with the
provision of the law, on the first
Wednesday of January, 1889, and, in all
save New York, choice was made. In
that State, q very strong and vigorous
opposition had been made under the
lead Of George Clinton to the adoption
of the Constitution. The Assembly
was strongly anti-Federal, while the SEN
ate was strongly Federal. The choice of
electors was TO be made by the Legisla-
ture. The eanti-Federalists, while making
no objection TO Washington, We're
anxious, for most excellent reasons of
their own, to secure the electors, and so
demanded that they should be chosen
by joint ballot. The Fedcralists con-
trolling the Senate demanded concur
rent vote, which probably would have
resulted in giving five members to each
party. As each House insisted on its
demand, no election was made. Ex-
cept in Maryland, Massachusetts and
Virginia, electors were chosen by
the Legislatures Of the respective States
In New Hampshire dispute similar
to that in New York arose, the
Senate claiming the right to negative the
choice OF. the House, u right which was
Indignantly disputed by the House, but
after II long dispute the House yielded,
after entering q solemn protest, and
electors were chosen. In NIassachu
sets the electors at large were choser
by the people, and each Congressional
district sent up to the Legislature theil
names, from whom that body selected
one as an elector. Maryland was tn,
only State in which what might b,
called political canvass took place
The choice of electors was given to tn,
people, and the electoral tickets wer,
placed in the field.
As q proof of the intense love of tn
people for Washington, the Fcderalist
secured the election of their ticket by
fair majority, by assuring the anti
Federalist voters that Washington wa
their candidate and that so far as h
was a party man at all, he was Federal
st. 1t was an instance early in tn
political history of the country wher
the man was preferred to party. Il
Virginia the electors were chosen b
direct vote of the people. 1t was an
other month before the day appointe
for the meeting of the electors. In the in
ierval no doubt whatever had existe
that each of the 73 electors chosen woul
cast one of the votes to which he wa
entitled under the Constitution forWasl
ington. Hence, so far as the Presidcnc
was concerned, there was no electioneei
ing, no caucusing, no intriguing. As t
how the other vote of each of these ele,
tors would be cast there was the grea
est uncertainty. In accordance wit
both the letter and spirit Of the Constitl
tion each of the electors was indepeI
dent. unpledged and free to vote accort
ing. to his own best Judgment. Elcc
orS were electors in fact, then, instca
of merely in name, as now. The oppo
iunity was thus for brief month one
for political work, and it was not su
gercd to passed unused by friends of di
'erent candidates for the Nice-Prcs
dency. In the newspapers Of the tim
he name of John Adams was the on
most prominently and frequently mel
toned in connection with this oilic,
but Adams, Notwithstanding his gre.
services in tho cause of independents,
had numerous political rs well as pc
ional enemies.
His long residence abroad had give
aim in some sections Of the country I'll
reputation of being a monarchist, an
IN the Southern section Of the countr
New England men and New Englan
IDEAS were thus early in disfayo
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